Thankful Nights
by Sympathetic Noose
Summary: Dean's back from Purgatory and home where he belongs with Dani.


Dani's head was resting on the pillow next to Dean's her light brown hair fanning out behind her. Her honey brown eyes watching Dean's chest slowly raise and fall with every breath as he slept. Dani was thankful to have Dean back. A year in purgatory was so long. Dani hadn't thought it could get much worse then it had been when he broke up with her to be with Lisa but it was. A year without him made her realize all the things she took for granted. His laugh, his leather and whiskey smell, the way his green eyes darkened and became hooded during sex, the way he looked in a pair of blue jeans and a grey t-shirt covered in grease from working on the Impala and the way he always found pie no matter what city or backwoods town they were in.

She had missed everything about him. Dean tensed in his sleep. His whole body going ridged his jaw set. Dani's heart broke watching him. He was like this after he came back from hell too.

She lifted her left hand and placed it on his stubble covered cheek. Dean flinched at the sudden contact before nuzzling into the familiar hand. She rubbed her thumb in slow circles until his entire body relaxed. Dani lifted her head and rested it on Dean's shoulder as she slowly lowered her hand from his face bringing it to rest on his bare chest.

It would take time but Dani knew she could bring him back from the nightmares he would be having now. She had done it before she knew she could again. She just wished she didn't have to.

Dani ran her fingers around the anti-possession tattoo on Dean's chest. It matched the one on the inside of her left wrist. As she traced Dean slowly started to wake. He glanced down at the brunette head on his shoulder. A ghost of a smile on his lips as she continued to outlined his tattoo. He took his right hand and placed it over hers halting her movements.

Dani glanced up as Dean lowered his head to kiss her. Neither one spoke as Dean flipped them over pinning Dani underneath him. He made love to her for a second time that night.

Afterwards while Dani was lying on her front, Dean propped up on his arm at her side it was his turn to trace her tattoo. This one however protected nothing but Dani's heart. It was Dean's name in fancy script on her right shoulder blade

.

"When did you get this?" Dean followed the movements of his finger as he again traced the letters of his name.

Goosebumps rose over Dani's skin, "a couple months after you disappeared. Sam had run off and I was in Georgia tracking this shifter. I'd chased the fucker across three states before I finally caught up to it. Turned out to just be a kid, barely 18 but the body count this kid was leaving behind was ridiculous." A shiver ran down Dani's back as she remembered plunging her silver knife into that kid, the look of fear and surprise in its eyes. "Afterwards I went to this bar and there sitting on one of the barstools was Charlie. She was hitting on the bartender that turned out to be completely straight but we started drinking and talking about you. Before I knew it we were in a tattoo parlor and some guy named Mike was putting that there. I think of the two I have it might be my favorite."

"It's my favorite too." Dean leaned over and planted a kiss over the tattooed skin. "Maybe I should get one to match."

Dani gave a small giggle, "how humble of you to get your own name tattooed to yourself. Or is it an age thing? Should I worry about you forgetting your own name?"

Dean shook his head at Dani's sarcasm. "I'm serious Dani. Get your name put on my back. Be like our own version of wedding rings."

Dani was taken aback, "Wedding rings? Dean, are you asking me to marry you?"

"Not really. I already feel like we're married. I've felt like that for a long time. I mean if you want to make it legal we can tomorrow." Dean said with sincerity in his eyes.

"We don't have to make it legal. I've felt like your wife for a long time too. I told Mike it was my husband's name." A smile stretched across Dani's face at Dean's words. She had never voiced aloud how she had felt and to hear Dean felt the same made her even happier.

Dean reached over and shut off Dani's bedside lamp. Dani rolled over onto her back and Dean pulled her close. He nestled his face into the side of her head breathing in the floral scent of her hair. "Let's go tomorrow. Maybe we can bring Sammy and make a stop by the courthouse too. I want to make you a legitimate Winchester."

Dani smirked in the dark, "that might be hard considering you're legally dead remember?"

Dean blinked a few times, confusion covering his face. "Right, Leviathan's, son of a bitch. I'll figure it out tomorrow. Maybe you can become the next Mrs. Robert Plant or something."

Dani scoffed, "rather be Mrs. Joe Elliot but if you're stealing rock star identities again I guess Plant's not that bad of a choice."

"Don't start this again babe. I'm tired. We can argue which lead singer from which band I'll be tomorrow."

Dani turned her head and gave Dean a kiss before closing her eyes drifting off to sleep. In the morning they would tell Sam they had decided to get married and wanted him as a witness. They would exchange vows as Mr. and Mrs. Rick Allen, Dani having won out on favorite band preferences before heading off to get Dani's name etched onto the skin of Dean's back.


End file.
